Zaria watched as the uncommon sword mimic made short work of the approaching candleman. The swords were things of beauty, looking exactly like a blade when inert - but when they activated, the sword would split down the middle to become a pair of scissor-like jaws. Zaria had been worried that would decrease their effectiveness, but their preferred method of attack was striking at a foe, then splitting in half once they’d punched through the skin, snapping back shut on the wax that spilled into their open maws.

It would be gruesome on a human.

Uncommon was definitely the best choice for them. The swords were a bit too clumsy to parry effectively, and the Impacting property would just kick their target out of range. That would be great in places where Zaria knew the terrain and could take full advantage of that - or in her dungeon, where she was the terrain - but with what she had planned for the Reclaimers, the higher damage output for the blades just couldn’t be beat by any of the other properties.

Now it was time to convert the Oven into a boss.

Zaria first spun up a new Oven to replace the one she was about to turn into a mob, and just kept it unlit until she was ready. Then she poured mana into the one Oven that had come with the home. It shuddered and shook, then gently pulled itself off the walls. The legs that had held it off the floor became legs in truth. The metal grill that had kept embers from flying out split in half, becoming rows of metal teeth as long as Vysala’s forearm. Two small eyes popped out from the top, looking around hungrily, and the stovepipe curled and undulated, like a single tentacle on the top.

It roared, and flames spilled forth from its mouth.

New Mob discovered: Oven Mimic. 10 Command Points.

“It needs a name,” Zaria said. “I’m thinking Broil, the Devouring Flame.” As soon as Zaria had named it, she could feel the command get taken from her pool - twenty total command, twice the cost of the base mob. The mimic grew larger, and the stovepipe tentacle split in half and shifted to the side of the boss. When it was stationary, the tentacles could slide back up to the center, but now they were in front of it, serving as perfect arms.

“Evocative name,” Vysala said, staring at the new boss. “I sure as fuck wouldn’t want to get surprised by that midway through a dungeon run, I’ll tell you that.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. I think it’s going to be a nice complement to Maw.” Zaria rubbed her hands together.

“So.” Vysala leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. “How do you want to distribute everything?”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Zaria said, turning to Vysala. “I do think numbers are going to matter in the fight. Based on the size of the camp, there’s at least twenty and at most forty Reclaimers there - not counting whatever demons they have, or whatever forces they’ve hidden in the legacy dungeon. Fortunately, a lot of those are going to get drowned by the flooding.”

Vysala nodded. “That tracks.”

“I have twelve command wrapped up in Maw, and twenty for Broil. I also don’t want to completely empty my dungeon - I’m going to keep two crates in reserve along with my Babamorph and send two out. Thankfully the Babamorph is free and ranks up with me - this body is Copper now. The crates are still another twenty command, though.”

Vysala’s forehead furrowed. “Why are you keeping the crates back? Shouldn’t we send everything?”

“We’re sending almost everything, but… if something manages to breach the dungeon, I’ll need time to prepare to meet it. Those four crates can buy me the time I need.”

Vysala nodded slowly. “So that leaves you with 148 free command left?”

“And I take it you aren’t just going to make fourteen sword and crossbow mimics with that?”

Zaria shook her head. “I need the mobility candlemen offer to make sure those mimics get to their destination. So if I split that up, I can get nine troops - five point candlemen, each armed with a ten point weapon mimic. Five crossbows, four swords. I’ll have thirteen command left over - and I know how I’m going to use that.”

“How so?” Vysala asked.

Zaria flashed her an amused chuckled. “Save that for later. You have your surprises, I have mine.”

Vysala raised an eyebrow, but didn’t push back. Instead, she ran her hand through her hair, letting it cascade down her back. “So you’re not going to upgrade the candlemen?”

“I had a thought about that. Based on what I’m reading in the dungeon instructions, I can put the Candlemen in armor without directly upgrading them. They won’t be as good as Copper mobs, but they’ll hit a midpoint between Tin and Copper.”

“Sounds like a good split.” Vysala wet her lips. “But… if this goes badly, we’ll be handing the Reclaimers nine sets of uncommon armor.”

“Good news,” Zaria said. “I thought of that, and I’ve been working on a design. Behold.”

At her command, a candleman clad in the new armor walked into the room. It was technically a suit of full plate, but not one that could ever be worn by a human. The waist area was pinched in, giving it only five inches diameter. There was also a gap in the center of the chest, right between where a humanoid’s pectorals would normally be. Here, however, was the gaping mouth of the candleman.

Vysala snorted a laugh. “Fuck me up one hill and down another. They look like some kind of absurd drawing of armor.”

“Right?” Zaria said. “And more importantly - Uncommon armor will resize a bit to accommodate different body plans, but it has to actually be put on the subject to work. With the waist that small, I’d love to meet the person that can squeeze in. They have internal organs to worry about - not just wax and a steel rod.”

“Perfect,” Vysala said. “Giving them uncommon swords and shields, too?”

Zaria nodded. “Going to make sure they’re as powerful as possible.” She turned to the mimic.

The candleman did as she instructed, revealing the back of the armor. There was a groove in the center of the back, covered with small loops. “For the sword and crossbow mimics to hold on to as easily as possible. It should be virtually impossible for anything to dislodge them without massively overpowering them.”

Vysala rubbed her hands together. “Looks like you thought of everything. Shame we won’t be able to test it out before we face off the Reclaimers. Also… why not more melee than ranged?”

“Because there will be five people in melee. At least, I’m assuming you intend to enter the fray yourself.”

Vysala’s eyes lit up. “Oh, absolutely. And fair point.” She hesitated. “Is that what you have in mind for the last sword or crossbow?”

Instead of answering directly, Zaria conjured the armor she’d been working on. It was an Uncommon chest piece, perfectly sized for Vysala, with matching bracers and greaves. “I figured with your class, you needed something lighter. Would this work?”

Vysala ran her fingers along the armor. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” She flipped the armor over, revealing the slot in the back that Zaria had built for a mimic. “Going to give me a sword or crossbow?”

“Up to you,” Zaria said. “But I’m going to suggest sword. It’ll literally have your back throughout the fight.”

Vysala nodded. “I like the idea of that. Not a huge fan of being a mount - normally I do the riding - but in exchange for a sword covering me, I’ll take it.”

Zaria chuckled at the innuendo. “Now,” she said. “One more point. I have… mixed news. We will be able to test this out before we fight the Reclaimers.”

Vysala’s forehead furrowed. “How so?”

“There’s a flock of fiend tainted animals in the rocks. They probably will attack. So might as well clear them out.” The nest was showing up on Zaria’s map - it had just appeared a couple hours ago, so the corrupted animals had to be recent transplants to the area. Zaria had scried to confirm what she suspected.

“What are they?” Vysala said, leaning forward.

“Um. Well…” Zaria sighed. “They’re balehens.”

Vysala blinked slowly. “Balehens.”

Zaria nodded. “Big ones.”

Vysala sighed. “So we need to clear out a nest of mutant, demonic chickens.”

“Yes, we do.” Zaria checked the map again. They were almost there. “Just one more thing to do. Time to restore my stability.” She turned her attention to the Fissure core and absorbed it. Words flashed through her vision.

Excess Stability Translated to Experience.

Congratulations! You have reached Copper 2! Please select your Fissure upgrades!

Zaria was relieved there’d been enough bleed over experience to get her another level. “That gives me two more crossbows for the roof,” she said. “I get some more weapons of my own.”

Vysala nodded. “What upgrade were you going to go with?”

Zaria pulled up the list. Right now, it still showed the abilities she’d had as options before:

Demonslayer Mobs: Your mobs gain a temporary Fiendish Ability from consuming demonic flesh, and deal +50% damage to Demons. Stacks with all other damage increases, including those that normally only apply to other creatures. Cost: 1 Fissure Core Slot Special: Meat cooked via Hellish Cuisine counts for providing the benefits of Demonslayer mobs. Distortion Steps: Your mobs gain a +50% speed boost when in the area of an active Fissure. In addition, all mobs gain a short range teleport usable anywhere within your area of influence or within the area of an active Fissure. Cost: 1 Fissure Core Slot Special: Mobile core types gain 50% speed boost themselves when in the area of an active Fissure. Fiendish Spellslingers: Your mobs gain +25% mana regeneration, which increases to 150% regeneration while within the area of an active Fissure and for one day after consuming a demon. Absorbing the mobs will transfer the benefits to you. Cost: 1 Fissure Core Slot. Special: Meat cooked via Hellish Cuisine counts for providing the benefits of Fiendish Spellslingers. Diabolical Mutations: Consuming demonic flesh gives your mobs a 200% increased mutation chance. Cost: 1 Fissure Slot.

“I think the quality of the Fissure core is what determines the abilities I have,” Zaria murmured. “I’m hoping I can get a higher quality one to test that, though. For now… I don’t have any caster mobs, so I don’t know if Fiendish Spellslingers will work. 150% of zero is still zero, after all.”

Vysala nodded. “So… Demonslayer mobs seems like the obvious choice, then? You get the synergy from Hellish Cuisine and, unlike Distortion Steps, the benefit applies when you’re fighting mortals outside of your dungeon and your area of influence.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.” Zaria didn’t hesitate to select the upgrade, then pulled up her regular upgrade menu. With the extra upgrade point she’d gained from normal advancement from Copper 1 to Copper 2, it was time to finally select an elemental heart. “Any objections to me going with Moon?” she asked.

“Why not Death?” Vysala asked. “Sounds like that would be powerful.”

Zaria shook her head. “The system tends to balance things, I’m learning. Death probably won’t give me the power to instantly kill things. Honestly, Frost and Cloud are more dependable, but… I feel like something’s calling me to Moon.”

“Good point about the system.” Vysala ran her hands through her hair again. “Moon works for me. Besides, you already have a Moon Hag, right? So… there’s probably some synergy there.”

Zaria agreed. “I’m not making a Moon based mimic yet. I want to test the base forms against the Balehens - and we’re almost there. Same with your Runes - we can save that for the fight against the Reclaimers.”

Vysala nodded in understanding, and was about to speak, when a noise from the door drew both their attention.

Rav. The little crate mimic had climbed his way to the attic, and was now whining at the door like a lost puppy.

“What’s wrong with it?” Vysala said.

“I think… I think he wants a moon heart.” Zaria shook her head. “I know he wants to go with you for the fight.”

“You got all that from a whine?” Vysala asked, giving Zaria a sideways glance.

Zaria nodded. “I… this mimic’s different. Already borderline Sapient. But I can’t send a crate with you. How would you even fight?”

In response, Rav lashed out his tongue towards one of the sword mimics, and blatted it across the flat of the blade with his tongue.

“You… want to be a sword?”

Rav cooed.

“You want to be Vysala’s sword,” Zaria said.

Rav yipped.

I suppose I could do that,” Zaria said after a moment to consider. “Just absorb your body and form a new sword around your heart. Would you be all right with that, Vysala?”

Vysala looked at the mimic and nodded. “Honestly, I like the personality.”

“Perfect,” Zaria said. Up ahead, the terrain started to get rocky.

In the distance, a balehen crowed, and Vysala shuddered. “Demon chickens,” she said. “Why did it have to be fuck-damned demon chickens?”